


Terrifying Together

by orphan_account



Series: 30 Day AU Challenge [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Avengers, Harry Potter - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 30 Day AU Challenge, F/F, Hogwarts AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2018-01-08 15:39:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1134441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Melinda May is used to people being scared of her, but all of that changes when the new transfer student shows up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Terrifying Together

Melinda May didn’t talk to much of anyone else in Gryffindor, and tended to keep to herself. Over the years, she had grown used to it, but she hadn’t done it on purpose, and she often wondered what her life would be like at Hogwarts if everyone wasn’t scared of her. There had been an unfortunate incident in the Forbidden Forest in her third year, and as soon as Melinda had turned up alive, the rumors started flying. She couldn’t make herself talk about what had actually happened, so the rumors got more and more outlandish, to the point where many believed she had performed Dark Magic to get herself out of there alive. Melinda still preferred these rumors to talking about what had actually happened, so she let them continue to fly, watching as the school population became more and more afraid of her.

So when the students started being scared of someone else, Melinda noticed.

When Melinda walked to class, she often saw crowds of students scattering away from something. At first, she wondered if someone had made an insane new rumor about her, but the students running weren’t paying attention to her. One day, she tried to look for who or what they were running from, and saw a red-haired Slytherin girl who looked to be Melinda’s age. The girl didn’t look particularly intimidating, just irritated. Melinda knew that feeling well, and was momentarily thankful that at least students tended not to run from her. Being intimidating was one thing, but whoever this girl was, she was causing spectacles.

So Melinda asked around, and found out a few tidbits. She wasn’t sure how much of it was true, but apparently the girl’s name was Natasha Romanoff, and she was a recent transfer student from Durmstrang. Melinda decided she could believe that much, or at least that Natasha was foreign, because her accent betrayed her. The other rumors were a bit more drastic, though. Some people were certain that Natasha had killed someone, and others talked about how she had been trained in the Dark Arts even before attending Durmstrang. Nearly all of them were convinced she was out to get them, even if all Natasha did was glare at them.

Melinda decided to approach her to see if this was all true, and there was a small part of her that hoped she and Natasha could understand each other, and maybe be friends. When she approached Natasha, it was after yet another crowd of students had scattered, and Natasha was sitting by herself in a corner of one of the hallways, nose deep in a book. Natasha looked up when she saw Melinda, looking thoroughly unamused.

“If you’re here for the reason I think you are, you’re the fifth stupid Gryffindor who’s challenged me to a duel. I’m going to repeat what I said the last four times - fuck off, and I don’t want any of this.” Natasha set down her book, meeting Melinda’s eyes with a steely glare. Melinda held her hands up, not wanting to aggravate her. It crossed her mind that Natasha was really beautiful up close, and Melinda tried to push that thought away for now.

“I’m not, if you can believe that. You just looked lonely.” Melinda sat down beside her, a safe distance away so that she wouldn’t crowd her, and Natasha bristled a bit.

“I don’t need pity, either. I’m fine on my own.” Natasha returned to her book, not looking at Melinda.

“Look, I know how it is to have everyone scared of me, okay? If you don’t believe me, ask people what they’ve heard about Melinda May, and how she got out of the Forbidden Forest,” Melinda said, and that got Natasha to look up. “People are a little more scared of you than they are of me, but not by much.”

“So you’re Melinda, then. I’ve heard about you.” Natasha’s voice wasn’t as harsh now, and she set down her book. “People were saying you’d be angry with me, because I’ve taken the title of scariest girl at Hogwarts.” She made a sound that could have been a laugh, but there wasn’t much humor to it, and her lips barely upturned.

“These kids will spread anything. I don’t care what they spread about me, it keeps me from having to talk about the truth.” Melinda looked away from Natasha, not wanting to think about that for very long. “But have it from the mouth of scary Melinda herself - I don’t give a damn what ‘title’ you’ve stolen from me. Hell, I’d rather get to know you properly, and maybe be friends. That’d show them.”

“That also might terrify them.” The corner of Natasha’s mouth quirked up slightly, and Melinda decided she liked Natasha. “But I wouldn’t mind. It would keep attention off the truth about us, and I think it’s better that way. We’re of like minds.” Melinda wondered what exactly Natasha was hiding, but she didn’t want to drag it out of her, because she knew she’d hate if the same thing were done to her.

“Good. Let’s be scary together,” Melinda said, and for the first time, she saw Natasha smile, even though it was mostly obscured by Natasha’s huge book. She felt her heart flutter a little, but kept it to herself for now.

When they walked to lunch later, Melinda barely noticed the students scattering before them. Natasha was telling her about what Durmstrang was like, and how the entire school was hidden under a lake. That, and it was a bit hard to tear herself away from looking at Natasha herself, especially when she smiled.

Being scary by herself wasn’t something Melinda was particularly fond of. But being terrifying together? That was something else entirely, and it was wonderful.


End file.
